Leonen’s advice to new lawyers: Keep your sense of humor, sense of justice

Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen

With the release of the Philippine Bar Exam results on Thursday, Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen urged new lawyers to keep their “sense of humor and sense of justice.”

At a forum on judicial independence and integrity organized by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Makati chapter, the Twitter-savvy magistrate underscored that having a sense of humor allows one “to look at the larger picture,” and “see things beyond and differently.”

Even though some may criticize that participating in law is “a surrender to the status quo,” the 55-year-old magistrate stressed that “doing law is always doing justice.”

“The question often asked by law students and lawyers who want to change society is why take up and practice law at all? The suspicion is that participating in the law and eventually becoming one of the judges and of course perhaps even a justice of the Supreme Court, is a surrender to the status quo,” he said.

“For me, the question misunderstands the complexity of law. It presumes incapacity to be critical… This is not what we do when we do law. Maintenance of the rule of law is not a reactionary act, it should be progressive,” he added.

Leonen also noted the importance of interpreting laws in the context of contemporary times and social justice.

“In my mind it is not the rule of law but the rule of just law that should prevail. Not that the judiciary should rewrite the text of law but certainly, engage in enlightened interpretation of the words within its contemporary meaning in the context of the need for social justice as guidance,” he said.

“Doing law is always doing justice. Court decisions should transcend contemporary political intramurals and remain unaffected by it… Court decisions will exist longer than any political terms,” he added.

At the same forum, Leonen explained how “corruption weakens judicial independence far more than political interference.”

He said that as the High Court faces “trying times” with issues questioning its judicial independence and integrity, and the looming ouster of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno through the quo warranto petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General, people should remain passionate and courageous to do what is right and just.

“These times call on all of us to do our parts, look at things differently, go outside what is comfortable, do what is just,” he said.

“The line of fire has always been the line of honor,” he added.

Sereno earlier urged law students to counter attempts to attack judicial independence, in light of the quo warranto petition filed against her by the Office of the Solicitor General.

She said the petition seeking to nullify her appointment, was like a “sword of Damocles that hangs over the heads of all government employees.”

“Our democratic way of life and our constitutional form of government are in danger,” Sereno said in a speech at the Ateneo de Manila University’s law school in Makati City.

READ: Defend judicial independence